"His passion for the student-athlete experience, combined with his management skill, documented record of fundraising success with alumni and donors of all ages, and his deep knowledge of Sioux Falls and this region make him perfectly suited for this important role," President Rob Oliver said today of Slade Larscheid, Augustana's new director of athletics.

Last weekend, Augustana Nursing students and faculty hosted the Nurses Student Association of South Dakota annual convention in downtown Sioux Falls.The two-day conference focused on what it called the "waves of change" hitting the American healthcare system and the the "oceans of opportunity" those changes will provide professional nurses in the healthcare setting.

Dr. Leigh Vicens, assistant professor of philosophy, was recently awarded one of three research fellowships by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Philosophy of Religion. At Augustana, Vicens teaches courses on critical thinking, philosophy of religion, contemporary moral issues, and free will and moral responsibility.

The Professors' Best Lecture Series is "designed  to engage professors of various disciplines in faith-based conversations about how faith influences their practice." On Monday, April 14, Dr. Corey Conover (History) will discuss "How Best to Love God: A Guide From History" at 3 p.m. in the 3-in-1 Room, Morrison Commons.

The 16-month, post-baccalaureate program is a full-time plan of study designed for students who have a college degree and have completed the prerequisite courses. Applications for the first cohort, which will begin in the fall, are due by Tuesday, April 15.

Forty-five Augustana students and four faculty members visited Minneapolis last weekend for the Nobel Peace Prize Forum featuring His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama, and others will travel there today for the second weekend of the forum.

Former Augustana president Dr. Lloyd Svendsbye died on Sunday, March 2, in Edina, Minn. He was 83. Svendsbye served the College as its 19th president from 1987-1992. Memorial services are planned for March 13-14 in Edina, Minn.

Carryn Kennedy, Spencer Kruse, MIchelle Ritter and Sarah Stevens were named winners of the 2014 Concerto-Aria competition, held on Sunday in the Humanities Center. They will perform with the Augustana Orchestra in the annual Concerto-Aria concert, set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9, at the Harrisburg Performing Arts Center.

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The interior of the Sioux Falls Arena will be transformed into the new home for Viking basketball and will feature various amenities for fans including, more than 3,500 chairback seats and more than 4,400 parking spaces.